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. @eine tet-rs., garnir@fittan NELSON THOMSON, OF GERMAYNTOWN, OHIO.

I Letters Patent'No. i3,475,'dated January 21, 1868.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

'ro ALLwnoM I'r MAY coNcERN:

Be it known that I, NELSON S. THOMPSON, of Germantown, in Montgomerycounty, in the State of Ohio, have invented a. new and usefulImprovement in Traps for Catching Rats 'or other Animals; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full and eignet descriptionthereof, reference-being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters. of reference marked" thereon.

Figurel is a longitudinal vertical section of my trap.

. Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section of the same, and theline :a x indicates the division'at which iig. 1 is taken. v l

A denotes a rectangular box, at each end of which there are metal rodsforming gratings al a. C D are boards standing on their edges, fastenedto the top of box A. The board D is divided to interpose the trigger jand its connections. That portion of the cover of box'A between theguide-boards C D .is made of two trapdoors E E", which are pivoted tothe boxcover at i z'. The under sides of the outer ends of doors E E arevprovided with weightsv d d, which servel to close them suddenly hytheir gravity after the trap has been sprung and an animal has falleninto the box A. The ledges e e, connected with the ends of the box A.,serve to prevent an animal within the box from escapingwhile the doorsare opened to receive another animal. The'trigger is hinged on apivot-rod, between the short boards g g, forming an open' box for thepurpose. Connected with the rear'portion of the box h g g, there is apulley, o, over which cord m runs, which connects the catch-spring 'nwith the upper end of trigger-boardj. k is the pivot of the trigger j.The spring n is secured to thein'ner side of box A, as represented inthe drawings, and serves to support the inner ends of trap-doors E Euntil 'the trap is sprung. It .vill be seen that the horizontal portionof angular catch-spring n passes freely through a slot in box A. Thependant P, fastened to the end of trap-door E', has secured to itacatch-spring like the spring nfor the purpose of supporting the doorwhen door E is closed with it. The spring s will yield freely to allowdoor E to close after the other door has closed or shut'. It will beunderstood that the trigger j actuates the spring n by the cord m, whichwithdrawal of spring-catch n permits the weight-ef the animal upon thetrap-doors to be dropped into the box A below, and the weights d d causethe doors to immediately close, thereby setting the trap ready foranother animal. The trap will be sprung by the animals front feet, whichwill be necessarily placed upon the lower end of trigger j, when theattempt is made to reach the bait secured to the hook near the top ofthe trigger. The object of the guide-boards C D is to prevent the animalfrom catching hold of the top of the box A, when the trap is sprungtolet it into the box A.

I have found, by frequent use, that my trap is a sure means of catchingrats and mice.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters latent, is

The combination of the weighted doors E E', pendant P, spring-catchesne, pulley and cord m o, trigger-1 7',` and ledges e e, arranged inrelation to box A, guides C D, and the open trigger-box g h, in themanner sa and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 5th day ofCamberg-1867.

N. S. THOMPSON.

Witnesseen C. S. Benner, H; I. K. Pack.

